The future of standardized testing in Canada

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The future of standardized testing in Canada

On most days, Simon Smith's* Grade 10 English classroom is a model of modern educational instruction. A teacher at a small rural high school in southwestern Ontario, Smith is careful to customize his teaching to the learning styles of his 25 students, creating lesson plans that play to the strengths of hands-on, auditory, verbal and other types of learners. He wants his kids to have the best possible shot at comprehending and demonstrating their knowledge of the material. And then, for several weeks each year, he must throw all that out the window and administer the annual province-wide literacy test prepared by Ontario's Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO).

"This standardized test is the total opposite of what we've been doing all year long, and we expect kids to pass it," laments Smith. He says learning outcomes might not be best served by a high-stakes, winner-takes-all test like this one. "It's a high-pressure time for both teachers and students, and, quite frankly, I'm not sure that it tells us that much."

Pros and cons of standardized testing Standardized tests have become a fixture in almost every â€¨Canadian province, usually in the form of written and multiple-choice math, reading and writing assessments administered to all students at a given grade level. But while their stated purpose—to ensure everyone has a sufficient grasp of the subject matter—â€¨may seem simple, the realities are far more complex. The pressure added to students, questionable validity of the data and politicization of the statistical outcomes have left some wondering whether these tests should have a place in classrooms at all.

Standardized testing drifted north from the U.S. during the '80s and '90s, as governments tightened their belts and demanded greater accountability for spending. Seeking proof of a return on their investment, politicians and experts heralded the tests' ability to provide a good picture of whether (or not) kids were learning. Each province has its own name and acronym for the test: EQAO in Ontario, Provincial Common Assessments (PCA) in Prince Edward Island, Provincial Achievement Tests (PAT) in Alberta, Foundation Skills Assessments (FSA) in British Columbia, and so on.

"Public desire has grown for this kind of data," says Annie Kidder, executive director of People for Education, a Toronto-based nonprofit advocacy group and research organization. "People, especially parents, like having a simple and straightforward picture of how a child and school are doing. Having evidence helps—we've seen that this data has helped to improve scores in various schools."

But Kidder admits the scope is far too narrow. With few (if any) exceptions, these tests look at only reading, writing and math. While these three pillars are certainly important, a child's education goes well beyond them—and so should any evaluation. Kidder notes that everything from physical and emotional health to creativity and citizenship is key to the quality of education. "These other areas, which aren't touched on by the test, are also foundational components of education."

Kidder and Daniel Laitsch, associate professor of education at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, agree that standardized test results are often politicized—often to the detriment of students. Laitsch says that politicians will use the results in re-election campaigns to show that their policies are working. In addition, ideologically based groups—most notably the Fraser Institute, a think-tank in Vancouver—use (and, some would argue, manipulate) test results to rank schools. The data is also used by real estate agents to sell houses in purportedly "good" school districts. But Laitsch argues that all this hubbub misses the point. "None of it shows what's really happening in the classroom, not without much more thorough assessment." What's next for standardized testing Teachers observe that boards and individual schools make the test a top priority. The pressure to succeed is enormous; everything from professional pride to a school's reputation is at stake. Mark Ramsankar, a high school vice-principal and the president of the Alberta Teachers' Association, says standardization interferes with differentiation.

While research shows that each student's learning style should be taken into account—comprehension of the material depends on methods and approaches—these tests require students to answer a series of questions, all in the same fashion. "Teachers are faced with a difficult choice: Do I teach to the test so my kids can do well? Or do I teach a curriculum that inspires critical thinking?" he says.

At least one province has taken a step back, daring to try a different path and providing an example of where standardized testing may be headed. While the details are still an item of debate, Alberta is preparing to roll out what might be the beginning of a new generation of standardized tests, replacing the province's 30-year-old PAT with the Student Learning Assessment (SLA).

Like the PAT, the SLA will test math and literacy in grades 3, 6 and 9, but that's where the similarity ends. Designed by learning experts, the new assessment will be computer-based. Instead of being administered during end-of-year crunch time, the SLA will take place at the start of the school year and will help teachers cater instruction to each student, based on his or her strengths and weaknesses. Simon Smith says he would love to have a similar tool in Ontario. "I'm certainly not against testing," he says. "I just wish we had a more useful test."

*Name has been changed

From new school assessments to increasing education options, check out the top issues affecting Canadian students and their parents.

This story was originally titled "By The Numbers" in the September 2014 issue.

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Culture & Entertainment

Nelly Furtado helps us be a little greener

Culture & Entertainment

Nelly Furtado helps us be a little greener

The singer-songwriter and philanthropist comes clean on her ten-year job as a housekeeper, why she finds cleaning therapeutic, when she taught her daughter to do laundry and why she has teamed up with Tide purclean to launch its new eco-friendly detergent.

Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado grew up in the family business—the cleaning business. “I come from a housekeeping background. My mom ran a laundry and cleaning company, and from a young age, I would go along with her to help out on odd jobs,” says Furtado. For the Grammy-award winner, lending a hand with the housekeeping turned into her first decade-long job. “I was a professional housekeeper at a hotel for 10 years in Vancouver,” says Furtado.

So, when Tide approached Furtado to help launch purclean—their first bio-based detergent (65% of the ingredients are made using renewable energy sources, such as plants)—the decision was an easy one. This more eco-friendly option is also hypoallergenic, free of dyes, chlorine and phosphates, and is produced in an environmentally-friendly manufacturing site.

Along with using a more sustainable detergent, Furtado limits the amount of loads she does per week and uses energy-saving cold water. “Every little bit counts: I drive a hybrid car so I only have to fill up on gas once a month. I make my own cleaning products with vinegar and water. When I’m spring cleaning or moving, I donate everything from faucets and cabinets to furniture to Habitat for Humanity so they can reuse them instead of putting them in a landfill,” says Furtado.

Furtado taught her daughter, Nevis, who is now 13-years-old, how to do laundry when she was 10-years-old. “At the time, she was saving up to buy an iPad, so Furtado gave her a list of chores to do, including laundry, to save enough money for the big purchase. “I felt I was teaching her a really valuable skill that she’ll use into adulthood, but she already mastered it at a young age. She’s really good at folding, too,” says Furtado.

Along with raising a teenage daughter and managing a successful music career (she has sold 16 million albums), she is committed to her environmental and humanitarian philanthropic work. This year, she helped host We Day, an event that empowers kids to contribute to positive changes in their communities, as well as acknowledging many who do. She also remains very close to the organization, Free The Children—she has helped raise $1 million dollars for a new all-girls school in Narok in rural Kenya. This Christmas, Nelly will visit the girls at the school.

In March 2018, Furtado will release her seventh album, The Ride. Most of the songs were written outside the studio while doing other things, such as laundry or in a car ride in Kenya during one of her Free The Children missions.

These days, when she’s not travelling, Furtado continues to clean her own house as she finds it puts her in a meditative mood, giving her the opportunity to focus on her music. “It’s part of who I am,” says Furtado.

Culture & Entertainment

Winning gift idea: Subscription boxes for everyone on your list

Culture & Entertainment

Winning gift idea: Subscription boxes for everyone on your list

Whether you're on the hunt for a thoughtful gift that's sure to impress or simply a gift that can be delivered, your answer is easy: Go for subscription boxes.

They're trending hard in the gift department. So, what are subscription boxes exactly? Basically, there's a company out there (yes—in Canada, too!) that will bundle up specific things you're interested in and deliver them in a package right to your door. No matter what your thing is—beauty, sweets, wine, more wine—there's a subscription box for you.

Think about the people on your list and narrow down what makes them tick. Beauty buff? Get her a subscription to GLOSSYBOX. Goop-enthusiast? Mama Earth Organics. Coffee Lover? The Roasters Pack. Sweet tooth victim? Bakers Krate.

Treat your mom to Oh Mother's boxes, which will deliver pampering products to ensure she gets a little "me" time. For your daughter, Ellebox will help her get through that gloomy time of month, for the bookworm, Owl Box offers new young adult books and fun extras, and for the relative who's going through a difficult time, Caring Crate will help keep their spirit up.

And there's still plenty more subscription boxes to choose from.

Flip through the slideshow to find out some of the best boxes available to Canadians and learn about what each one has to offer.

Winning gift idea: Subscription boxes for everyone on your list

For the Gwyneth in the group

Perfect for the Gwyneth-type—the one who juggles it all and is devoted to healthy, organic goods—will go crazy for this monthly subscription service. Mama Earth Organics offers healthy foods and fresh produce from local organic farms and will deliver right to her door.

Winning gift idea: Subscription boxes for everyone on your list

For the one who can't come home for the holidays

Ensure your friend who's out-of-the-country doesn't get too homesick this holiday season with Expack's Canada box. It boasts classic Canadian treats—like ketchup chips, Coffee Crisps, and Flakies—that are beloved by everyone north of the border.

Winning gift idea: Subscription boxes for everyone on your list

For the one with the sweet tooth

She'll probably be equally happy and mad at this gift: Bakers Krate delivers locally-sourced freshly baked goods (including cookies, brownies, and cupcakes), made by Canadian artisans, right to her front door.

Winning gift idea: Subscription boxes for everyone on your list

For the beauty buff

Help your beauty-loving bestie stay in-the-know with the classic, latest and greatest beauty finds with GLOSSYBOX. It brings makeup, hair, and skincare products to consumers’ doorsteps around the globe.